Raven walked into her house. Her mother, Sheryl, screamed.
Two hours earlier...
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." The stylist shrugged and took the razor to Raven's tail. The blade buzzed up and down until only the fluffy tip remained. Then, she dipped it, along with her mane and wingtips, into a vat of black dye. Raven smiled. Finally, she took two gold earrings and pierced Raven's right ear twice. Raven paid the stylist with a small bag of bits.
Raven walked outside and took off. It was about a half mile to her cloud home. She landed on the front deck and walked in. Her mother screamed.
"Raven! What have you done to yourself?!" She stared in horror at her daughter's new look. The only thing that was the same was the color of her irises, a brilliant orange, and her cutie mark, a black crescent moon with a purple outer edge.
"Raven. I will not stand for this! I told you multiple times you couldn't get piercings, mane dye, or dyed feathers, and I've no idea what that is!" She yelled, pointing at Raven's tail.
Raven stared at her mother. She lowered her head. When she looked up a split second later, her pupils were narrowed and tiny. She had an furious look on her face as she stalked toward her mother. Sheryl backed up with fear in her eyes.
"I DO WHAT I WANT, WHEN I WANT TO DO IT!!!!!!" Raven screamed.
She pounced.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!"
. . .
Raven sashayed coolly down the street, unaware of what had just happened at her house. She didn't understand exactly what happened, only that she had fainted and the voice in her head had told her her mom had gone on vacation in Canterlot. Raven shrugged and continued down the street.
"Hey Raven!" Her friend Moonshine spotted her. "I love the new look! How'd you get your mother to agree?"
"Well... She doesn't exactly know yet. She took a vacation to Canterlot, and I haven't seen her since yesterday."
Moon laughed. "I hope she's okay with it."
"Well, I was just headed to Sugarcube Corner. Wanna come with? It's on me."
"Thanks! I'd be glad to." Moon smiled.
The friends headed to the sweet shop. When they arrived, the line was unusually short. They went in and bought two milkshakes.
"Hey, why do you think nopony's here today?" Moonshine asked.
Raven shrugged. "Some funeral or something. Nopony important." Raven replied.
"Huh. Well, whatever. Works for me if we get our shakes immediately!"
. . .
Raven yawned. Her cloud bed was really comfy. She settled in and closed her eyes.
As soon as she was asleep, a exact replica of her climbed out of her body. It stalked slowly around the bed and over to Raven's head. It leaned close and listened to the names she murmured in her sleep. The names of loved ones and friends. The creature gave a silent, evil laugh. Then, it slid back into Raven's sleeping form.
